Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Our CMV Story
(not spina bifida related)

My husband Patrick, became very ill in the spring of 1996. At first his doctor had no idea why he was so tired, why he had muscle aches and a fever all the time. He felt terrible and the symptoms lasted for about 8 weeks. The first thought was that he had mononucleosis, but weeks later after blood tests showed an enlarged liver, he was tested for CMV. Patrick, tested positive. We were told to have Andrew and myself tested. This got me intrigued, I wondered "how did Andrew get this, if not from me" and "Why didn't Andrew get sick like Patrick did?" This got me looking for information which lead me to a blood bank site on the net.  There I read that a newborn baby could get it from their mothers but that CMV could also be transmitted by a blood transfusion. Then the story started to unfold; because at 6 weeks old Andrew had a blood transfusion during his (2nd surgery) for decompression. He had to have gotten the CMV then. I looked into Andrew's medical files and I found out that at about 10 weeks old when he had blood drawn he tested positive for CMV (but we were not told then). I remember he had blood testing done because he was iron poor and we were told to give him iron drops and change his formula to one with iron in it, but NEVER were we told that he had CMV.  I guess they didn't think it was important at that time. To this day Andrew is fine, he has never gotten sick from the CMV as Pat did.  Pat recovered and is doing fine.  I have not since been tested, but have been told to be tested before I get pregnant with my next child.

UPDATE: Dec 99, I was tested for CMV and tested positive. Now I am free to get pregnant with out the worry that I could contract it from Andrew or Patrick while pregnant. 

UPDATE: March 16th 2000, I did a home test and found out I'm pregnant. Our baby is due in Nov, 2000. 

UPDATE: Dec 2000, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy Nov27, 00 -we named him Shane.

UPDATE: June 2001, Shane was tested for CMV at 6 months old just b/c he was having blood taken, he's negative to CMV.

thanks for checking in

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Below is more information on Cytomegalovirus infection.

What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpes virus that can be transmitted by blood transfusion. About 50 percent of the blood donor population test positive for antibodies to the virus, and less than 3 percent of donor appear able to transmit the infection. CMV infection is usually mild, but it may be serious or fatal in those who are immunocompromised. Particularly at risk are low-birth weight infants and bone marrow and heart-lung transplant patients. If a patient is at high risk of getting CMV diseases, blood that tests negative for CMV can be transfused. Alternatively, blood which has been filtered to decrease the number of white blood cells – the cells that cause CMV – may protect patients from getting a CMV infection from transfusion.

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Signs and Symptoms:
Most healthy people who have a cytomegalovirus infection will have few, if any, symptoms. When signs and symptoms do appear, they may be similar to those seen in infections like mononucleosis.

A newborn can be infected with cytomegalovirus before birth - almost always because the child's mother developed a first-time cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy. Most of the time the infected infant shows no symptoms at birth, but in 5-25 percent of cases, symptoms appear over the next several years. These symptoms may include neurological and developmental problems, sight or hearing problems, and dental abnormalities. Rarely, a newborn may have a life-threatening infection.

Also rarely, infants can be infected with cytomegalovirus during or soon after delivery: when they pass through the birth canal of an infected mother, through breast milk from a mother with the virus, or from a blood transfusion contaminated with cytomegalovirus. Again, when this happens, most infants show no symptoms of cytomegalovirus infection. When symptoms do appear, they may include lung problems, poor weight gain, swollen glands, rash, hepatitis, and blood problems. Premature infants are more likely to have symptoms than full-term babies.

After the newborn period, the next most likely targets of cytomegalovirus infection are children in day care or preschool. Teens and young adults - most often those who are sexually active - also may develop an illness that seems like mononucleosis ("mono"). Symptoms of this type of cytomegalovirus infection include prolonged high fever, chills, severe fatigue, malaise (a generally ill feeling), muscle aches, headaches, and an enlarged spleen. The illness is NOT mononucleosis; mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Cytomegalovirus illness is less likely to cause severe throat symptoms or swollen glands in the neck.

Cytomegalovirus may cause serious infections in persons who have received organ transplants, and in persons whose immune systems are weakened (immunocompromised) for any reason, especially those with HIV-AIDS.

Description:
Cytomegalovirus is found all over the world, and it usually causes no symptoms. In the U.S., one percent of infants are infected at birth; by age six months, another 10-60 percent of infants will become infected, most often from members of their own families. After their first birthday, children tend to be most at risk for cytomegalovirus if they attend day care, where rates of infection can be as high as 80 percent.

Once a person has had the first cytomegalovirus infection, the virus lies dormant in the body throughout life, and can be reactivated. Usually, a reactivated infection causes no symptoms.

Prevention:
There currently is no vaccine to prevent cytomegalovirus infection. Therapy is available for use in organ-transplant patients who are at risk of getting cytomegalovirus from a transplanted organ. Also, blood banks have certain screening and processing procedures that help to prevent cytomegalovirus from being passed in contaminated blood products.

Incubation:
For a first-time infection with cytomegalovirus, the incubation period varies. In healthy teens who develop cytomegalovirus infections that mimic mononucleosis, the incubation period is 20-60 days. In organ transplant patients who develop infection from a cytomegalovirus-contaminated organ, symptoms usually appear within one to four months after transplant. In bone marrow transplant patients, symptoms usually appear 5-13 weeks after transplant.

Duration:
Duration varies, depending on the type of infection and the age and general health of the patient. For example, serious cytomegalovirus infections before birth may cause developmental handicaps that affect a child for a lifetime. On the other hand, infection in teens may last only 2-3 weeks.

Cytomegalovirus infection can be life-threatening and can require many weeks of hospital treatment in persons who are receiving organ transplants, or who are suffering from cancer or illnesses that affect the immune system .

Contagiousness:
Any person with a cytomegalovirus infection, even without symptoms, can pass it to others. The virus spreads in many body fluids, including saliva, breast milk, vaginal fluids, semen, urine, and stool. Usually, a child must have fairly close contact with an infected person in order to catch a cytomegalovirus infection. There are cases, however, where cytomegalovirus has been passed through indirect contact, especially through contaminated toys. The virus can also contaminate blood products and donated organs, causing infection after a blood transfusion or organ transplantation.

Home Treatment:
Cytomegalovirus "mononucleosis" is usually a fairly mild illness and can be treated at home, with rest and non-prescription medications suggested by your doctor.

Professional Treatment:
In serious cases of cytomegalovirus infection, doctors make the diagnosis by finding the virus in a sample of a sick person's urine, saliva, or other body fluid. Blood is also drawn at different time intervals to measure levels of certain antibodies. These antibodies are part of the immune system's response to a cytomegalovirus infection, and they signal that the body is fighting the virus.

In groups where cytomegalovirus infection can be life-threatening (infants, organ transplant patients, and persons with immune disorders), serious cytomegalovirus infections are treated with intravenous antiviral medication, usually in a hospital. Newly available oral antiviral medication may also be used at home, once the infection is stable.

Because these antiviral medicines may have serious side effects, doctors use them with great caution in all patients.

When To Call Your Pediatrician:
Call your pediatrician whenever your child has any of the following: fever that lasts for several days, especially without any other symptoms; chills; unusual or extreme tiredness; muscle aches; pain in the joints; headache.

If you are pregnant, ask your obstetrician about your risk for cytomegalovirus infection and about how you can protect your developing baby from cytomegalovirus infection before birth.

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CMV LINKS

AABB -American Association of Blood Banks

CMV Infection during Pregnancy -This is very serous!

CMV Support group -Great info and meet  kids with Congenital CMV

Jasmine's Page -about Congenital CMV. Meet a beautiful little girl who has been affected by CMV

Alyssa's CMV story -Also about Congenital CMV. Meet another beautiful little girl affected by CMV

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